Method of making radome with an integral antenna



June 24, 1969 HOWARD ET AL 3,451,127

METHOD OF MAKING RADOME WITH AN INTEGRAL ANTENNA Filed June 17, 1963FIGZ DARNLEY M. HOWARD IRVING MATHIS INVENTORS ATTORNEY United StatesPatent Ofiice 3,451,127 METHOD OF MAKING RADOME WITH AN INTEGRAL ANTENNADarnley M. Howard and Irving Mathis, College Park,

Md., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed June 17, 1963, Ser. No.288,570 Int. Cl. Htllp 11/00; C23b 5/44 US. Cl. 29-600 5 Claims Thepresent invention relates to antenna structures and more particularly astructure where a radome and an antenna are an integral unit.

Devices using a radome having a separate antenna positioned inside thereflector are known. However, any relative motion between the antennaand the radome is a source of microphonics resulting in a loss ofsensitivity. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of priordevices by eliminating a potential source of microphonics due torelative motion between the antenna and radome.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel integral radome andantenna structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide an integral radome-antennawhich eliminates microphonics due to relative motion between antenna andradome.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill become readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an antenna-radome structure of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, like numerals refer to like parts in eachof the figures.

A cylindrical radome is formed from a heat stable, water repellentplastic laminate, for example, (such as silicone glass laminate) forcompatible electrical and mechanical properties. The inside surface ofradome 10 is roughened by a mild abrasive and thoroughly cleaned. Apreliminary thin coating of conductive material, such as silverconductive paint, is deposited on the roughened area in the desiredantenna pattern and then burnished into the pores to insure electricalcontinuity and satisfactory adhesion. The antenna 12, of silver or othersuitable metal, shown as being in three segments separated by spaces 14in the drawings, is fastened to the inner surface of radome 10 by meansof the preliminary thin conductive coating which is applied by vacuumdepositing or other suitable process and then burnished. The desiredthickness 3,451 ,127 Patented June 24, 1969 of the conductive paths ofantenna 12 is built up by electroplating onto the preliminary thincoating of conductive material. By this method of plating the antennapattern to the inside of the radome the loss of sensitivity is minimizedand microphonics due to motion between the antenna and radome areeliminated. Also, the mechanical and electrical properties of materialsare compatible, low in cost and readily available.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of making a radome with an integral antenna havingcharacteristics wherein electrical continuity and satisfactory adhesionis assured, loss of sensitivity is minimized, and microphonics due torelative motion between the antenna and radome is eliminated comprising:

(a) forming a hollow radome from a heat stable,

water repellent silicone glass-plastic laminate,

(b) roughening a portion of the inside surface of said radome in adesired antenna pattern,

(0) applying a preliminary thin coating of conductive material on saidroughened surface in the desired antenna pattern,

(d) burnishing said conductive material into the pores of the roughenedsurface of said radome to insure electrical continuity and satisfactoryadhesion,

(e) applying a suitable antenna metal in desired thickness onto saidburnished preliminary thin conductive coating,

(f) burnishing said antenna metal.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein said preliminary conductive coatingis a silver conductive paint.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein said preliminary conductive coating isapplied by vacuum depositing.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein said suitable antenna metal iselectroplated onto said burnished preliminary conductive coating until adesired thickness is built up.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein said suitable antenna metal is silver.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,948,896 8/1960 Hart 343-8733,110,030 11/1963 Cole 343873 3,296,685 1/1967 Sulitanu 29--600 JOHN F.CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

J. L. CLINE, Assistant Examiner.

1. A METHOD OF MAKING A RADOME WITH AN INTEGRAL ANTENNA HAVINGCHARACTERISTICS WHEREIN ELECTRICAL CONTINUITY AND SATISFACTORY ADHESIONIS ASSURED, LOSS OF SENSITIVITY IS MINIMIZED, AND MICROPHONICS DUE TORELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE ANTENNA AND RADOME IS ELIMINATED COMPRISING:(A) FORMING A HOLLOW RADOME FROM A HEAT STABLE, WATER REPELLENT SILICONEGLASS-PLASTIC LAMINATE, (B) ROUGHENING A PORTION OF THE INSIDE SURFACEOF SAID RADOME IN A DESIRED ANTENNA PATTERN, (C) APPLYING A PRELIMINARYTHIN COATING OF CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL ON SAID ROUGHENED SURFACE IN THEDESIRED ANTENNA PATTERN, (D) BURNISHING SAID CONDUCTIVE MATERIAL INTOTHE PORES OF THE ROUGHENED SURFACE OF SAID RADOME TO INSURE ELECTRICALCONTINUITY AND SATISFACTORY ADHESION, (E) APPLYING A SUITABLE ANTENNAMETAL IN DESIRED THICKNESS ONTO SAID BURNISHED PRELIMINARY THINCONDUCTIVE COATING, (F) BURNISHING SAID ANTENNA METAL.